Compare towns
Meredith vs Ossipee vs Exeter vs Kingston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Ossipee has the most affordable homes ($326k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Kingston has the most expensive homes ($493k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Meredith | Ossipee | Exeter | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,758 |
4,521Lowest |
16,151Highest |
6,275 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7% NH: +4.6% |
+0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
50±4.6 15% above NH |
45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH |
55.5±5.7Highest 28% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±4.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
13.5%±3.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Ossipee and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
26.3%±5.9 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.7%±6 NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.9% NH: 40.6% |
24.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
35.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
3.6%±2.1 NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
$90,521±$22k 9% below NH |
$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
$105,330±$12k 6% above NH |
| Exeter and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
$325,500±$23kLowest 19% below NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$492,900±$58kHighest 22% above NH |
| Kingston and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,601±$245 7% above NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,393±$156 7% below NH |
| Exeter and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,006 25% below NH |
$4,401Lowest 34% below NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$7,906 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
72%±16.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
46.9%±46.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Ossipee and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% NH: 7.2% |
8.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
2.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% NH: 72.8% |
82%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
74.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1979 same as NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the NH average |
33 min 25% above NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
34 minHighest 27% above NH |
| Work from home | 23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
5.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
15.7%±4.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #62 of 120 in NH | #100 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #78 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Sanborn Regional School District |
| High school in town | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town | Exeter High School | Sanborn Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 12.1 |
12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet |
NH average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.